Politics

Cologne can boast an 800-year tradition of self-government: At the beginning of the 12th century, the »Schöffenkolleg« was created, and in 1216, a »Rat« (Council) was mentioned for the first time. Due to the battle at Worringen in 1288, the Archbishop of Cologne was finally excluded from the governing of the city. This was initially followed by conflicts between the leading Cologne families and the guilds, early forms of trade associations. When the guilds were victorious in 1396, they laid down a city constitution in the »Verbundbrief« (Charter). Via the Council, the citizens of Cologne were involved in the governing of the city.These municipal regulations held for 400 years.

Mayors & Political parties

In 1794, French revolution forces occupied Cologne; the Mayor and Council were stripped of their office, and replaced by a centrally-controlled administration. The revised city regulations for the Rhine province of 1856 created a new ruling: the municipality became a body with the right of self-government. In personal union, the Lord Mayor was Chairman of the Council, and Head of Administration. In 1933, the Nazis replaced this constitution with the »Führer Principle«. Following the Second World War, the »Cologne City Constitution of 1946« was introduced based on the British model. This deemed that the governing of the city should be split up between the Lord Mayor, as Chairman of the Council, and the Senior City Governor, as Head of Administration. Only on 14th July 1994 were these two functions brought together through the newly revised city regulations.

With Harry Blum, parallel to the 1999 municipal elections, the first full-time lord mayor, and simultaneously, Cologne's first CDU (Christian Democratic Union) lord mayor for 50 years, was directly elected by the citizens. Blum had only been in office six months when he died suddenly in March 2000. His successor, Fritz Schramma (CDU), won through in a final ballot on 17th September 2000 against Anke Brunn (SPD) (German Social Democratic Party), the former Minister for Education for North Rhine-Westphalia. Schramma has been elected for 9 years; his period in office comprises a normal election period of 5 years, and the remaining 4 years in office of his late predecessor.

Since October 21, 2009 SPD politician Jürgen Roters is the new Lord Mayor of Cologne.

The following table shows Cologne's Mayors and Lord Mayors since 1797:

Cologne is the home of a large number of well-known politicians and artists. So the list of honorary citizens is long and full of illustrious names: Otto Fürst von Bismarck belongs to this list as well as the long-time Lord Mayor in Cologne and first German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, or former German President Theodor Heuss.
Artists of worldwide recognition also can call themselves honorary citizens of Cologne, for example writers Ernst Moritz Arndt and Heinrich Böll, the popular actor Willy Millowitch or, since 2007, painter Gerhard Richter. Additionally the list includes important businessmen like publisher Alfred Neven DuMont and Hans Imhoff.

The following table shows a complete list of all honorary citizens of Cologne since 1856 including short biographies:

After an artisan and artistic training in Zittau and his home city of Dresden, Gerhard Richter continued his training at the Art Academy in Dusseldorf under Karl Otto Götz. At the beginning of the 70s, he took over a professorship. At the same time he received numerous awards for his paintings and became an artist with international reputation. His trademark is the use of chance, such as when he drew lots to find the colors to use. Since 1983 he lives and works in Cologne. In 2006 he designed a 113 sqm window for the Cologne cathedral, for which he used 11,500 squares of real-blown antique glass in 72 colors. The arrangement of colors was found - according to his style - by using a random generator. In August 2007 the cathedral window was inaugurated officially.

Born into an old Cologne publisher family, Alfred Neven DuMont runs the daily "Kölner Stadtanzeiger" since 1955 and founded the tabloid "Express" in 1964. Since 1991, he publishes the "Mitteldeutschen Zeitung" in Halle, too. In 1984, he was elected the president of the German publishers´association for 4 years. From 1990 to 1998, he was president of the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce. As an art lover, Neven set up the foundation council of the Wallraf-Richartz-Museums; he also is the chairman of the "German Committee The Peres Center for Peace".

Born in Cologne, Hans Imhoff started his career as a wholesaler in Bullay, where he founded the "Imhoff-Schokoladen- und Pralinenfabrik" in 1948. In the seventies, when the sales of his company surpassed 100 Million Mark, he was offered to take over the traditional chocolate company Stollwerck in Cologne. Imhoff successfully modernized this company and, with its world known brands and an international expansion strategy, lead it to a Billion seller and so becoming one of the 100 wealthiest men in Germany. In 1993, the entrepreneur opened a modern Cologne tourist attraction - the chocolade museum at the Rheinauhafen. Almost a decade later, he donated 150 Millionen Mark for the promotion of art, culture, and science.

Norbert Burger held the office of Lord Mayor of Cologne for 19 years - from 1980 to 1999, longer than any other that century. Depending upon requirements, the lawyer can make his explanation of the 2000-year history of Cologne last between three minutes and two hours, and has left his mark on the city. Burger considers "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours" to be nothing more than "removing difficulties in the run-up to decisions".
Member of the SPD since 1957, he became councillor in Cologne in 1975, member of the local SPD board, and Chairman of the Social Committee. In 1963, Norbert Burger became a civil servant of the City of Cologne, and quickly made a name for himself: In 1965, he became Head of the School Administration Office, and in 1970 Head of Social Services. In 1973, he moved to become Deputy-Head of the Federal Government's Press and Information Office.

Like her husband, Peter, Irene Ludwig has also devoted her life to the study and collection of art. Although, their home city is Aachen, both developed a special relationship to Cologne, which led to the foundation of the Museum Ludwig in 1976, and to parts of their collection being presented as long-term loans or donations. In 1986, the museum complex in the Bischofgartenstrasse was created. The Museum Ludwig is today home to around 1,700 objets d'art from the Ludwig Collection, primarily from the areas of pop art, American and European art from the 1960s and 1970s, German art from the 1970s and 1980s, as well as Russian art: the first and second avant-garde. With the handing over of 180 works by Picasso from five decades, the foundation was laid for the further expansion of the Museum Ludwig. Recently, Irene Ludwig presented the museum with a further 100 high-class long-term loans. Irene Ludwig is also Chairwoman of the "Peter and Irene Ludwig Foundation", an important institution for the further development of art and culture in Germany and abroad.

John van Nes Ziegler,
Lord Mayor and State President
* 20.5.1921,
honorary citizen since 23.4.1991

Van Nes Ziegler, who was born in Cologne, studied law and political science, and joined the SPD in 1946. In 1953, he became a member of the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Cologne city councillor in 1956, where he immediately received the office of Chairman of the local SPD, and in 1961 was voted in as the successor to the late Mayor, Josef Haubrich. Between 1973 and 1980, van Nes Ziegler was Lord Mayor of Cologne, previously and subsequently State President.

Even as a child, Willy would stand on the stage of the Millowitsch Theatre in Cologne, which has been in family possession since the 19th century. He managed this theatre from 1940 for around 50 years and, as manager, director, and main actor, made it into one of the most popular German people's theatres. "Etappenhasen" in 1953, was the beginning of regular TV broadcasts from the Millowitsch Theatre. In light comedies, as well as in entertainment films, Millowitsch made the audience laugh with his Rhenish humour, his Cologne dialect, and his coarse-comedy manner.

Born the son of a wood carver, Heinrich Böll began to train as a bookseller following his university entrance exams, and was drafted into the Armed Forces one year later. After returning from being a prisoner of war, he published his first short stories in newspapers and periodicals.

The chocolate producer from Aachen, and art patron, Peter Ludwig, and his wife Irene, have made a decisive contribution to the Cologne museum landscape: They donated top works of 20th century art - in particular American pop art - initially for an independent collection in the Wallraf-Richartz Museum. In 1976, this developed into the Museum Ludwig which, in a joint building with the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, became one of the highlights of the newly created Cologne museum complex at the feet of the cathedral. Following further donations and long-term loans, Cologne City Council decided upon the unique use of the location for the Ludwig collection, and the reconstruction of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum adjacent to the Gürzenich.

Born in Cologne, Burauen joined the SPD (German Social Democratic Party) as a 20-year-old. In 1932, he led the distribution of the social democratic newspaper "Rheinische Zeitung", and, in 1933, became unemployed for a time due to the banning of the SPD by the Nazis. In 1945, Burauen returned to Cologne, and was voted onto the city council in October 1946. In 1956, the SPD won the municipal elections and Burauen was voted into the office of Lord Mayor. He voluntarily stepped down from this position in 1973. During the visits of Charles de Gaulle, John F. Kennedy, and Queen Elizabeth, he represented the City of Cologne in a statesman-like manner. The "Döres", as Burauen was called in Cologne, owed his extraordinary popularity to his close contact with the people of the city.

Cardinal Frings was the high ecclesiastical dignitary of Cologne who, with his famous indulgence sermon following the War, legalised, at least on the part of the Church, the stealing of coal. Anyone who did not have anything to eat in these hard times also had to occasionally steal potatoes. Much to the regret of farmers, who in turn recovered their losses through bartering: valuables against food.
The Catholic theologian was Archbishop of Cologne from 1942 to 1969, as of 1946 Cardinal.

Federal president Theodor Heuss had a close relationship with the city of Cologne, having visited it frequently and been present on special occasions. These include the citys 1900th anniversary celebrations in 1950, the formal opening of the Antoniterkirche in May 1952 as well as that of the broadcasting studios in Wallrafplatz in June of the same year. In 1957, he officially opened the former Wallraf Richartz Museum beside the law school, which, today, is the Museum for Applied Arts. On 26 August 1959, this outgoing federal president was granted the freedom of the city.

Adenauer is Cologne's most famous and influential politician of the 20th century. In 1917, during World War One, he was Lord Mayor of the city and, in 1920, simultaneously President of the Prussian Council of State. In his time as Lord Mayor, he succeeded in founding the Cologne trade fair company, and laying out the green belt around the city.
In 1933, he was dismissed from all offices, and lived secludedly. In 1945, he was joint founder of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), and became its chairman in North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946, and then later (1949) Head of the Federal CDU. As Chairman of the Parliamentary Council (1948), he played a sizeable role in the creation of the Basic Law, and in the setting up of the Federal Republic of Germany, which he led as Federal Chancellor from 1949 to 1963. Adenauer stands for Germany's successful recovery, the reconciliation with France, the integration of West Germany into the West European Union (WEU), and into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Dr. h. c. Hans Böckler,
Chairman of the Federation of German Trade Unions
26.2.1875 to 16.2.1951,
honorary citizen since 2.1.1951

Born in Trautskirchen, Böckler came to the cathedral city in 1920 aged 45. Four years later, he became a councillor, followed by a further three years as District Secretary in the General Federation of German Trade Unions. Between 1928 and 1933, the social democrat took over an electoral mandate in the Reichstag; following the seizure of power by the Nazis, the head of the then illegal trade union movement was persecuted and taken into protective custody. Based in Cologne, Böckler initiated the reorganisation of the trade unions at the end of the War.

A Cologne museum carries his name, after its founder, the member of the Cologne cathedral chapter, Alexander Schnütgen, who donated his collections of church art to the City of Cologne in 1906. The collection was first opened to the public in 1910 at Hansaring, in a purpose-built extension of the City's arts and crafts museum. In the process of reorganisation of the ownership of the Cologne museum, the Schnütgen Museum gained further important works of church art.

Wilhelm Becker, born in Tangermünde in 1835, was Mayor of Halberstadt before attaining the position of Lord Mayor in Dortmund and Düsseldorf, and, in 1886, also of Cologne. During his 21 years in office, he paved the way for Colognes rise to the status of a major city. With a fiery oration on 27 October 1887, he managed to win over both the Prussian authorities and the doubting contingent within his own ranks. More specifically, he convinced them that, for restructuring purposes, Cologne needed to be expanded to include the neighbouring areas. Under his auspices, a variety of additional improvements were carried out, e.g. canalisation, the Rheinauhafen harbour, electric power station, electric trams and the "Stadtwald woodland parks. He also oversaw improvements in education and lent his support to the establishment of public reading halls. On 12 July 1905, in an extraordinary sitting of the city council in the Hansa room of the city hall, he was granted the freedom of the city. He died in 1907.

Dr. Heinrich von Stephan,
Secretary of State and Director of Posts
7.1.1831 to 8.4.1897,
honorary citizen since 25.4.1895

Stephan is considered to be the father of the modern German postal system. Born in the small Pomeranian town of Stolp, and son of a craftsman, he starting working there for the postal authority in 1848, and, following various activities and promotions, was appointed Director of Posts of the North German Union in 1870 by Wilhelm I, King of Prussia. He created the German Reichspost from the variously organised postal authorities of the states of the German Union, and became the initiator of the Universal Postal Union founded in 1874, which formed the basis for the efficiently organised international movement of post and news.

August Reichensperger,
Court of Appeal councillor
22.3.1808 to 16.7.1895
honorary citizen since 25.4.1895

Reichensperger was one of the main patrons of the construction of Cologne Cathedral. At the same time, due to his religious and artistic beliefs, he was committed to the Gothic style, which he interpreted to be the quintessence of Christianity. After the foundation of the Cathedral Construction Society, he was a member of the administration committee and, until 1844, also first secretary. He rejected election to President of the Central Cathedral Construction Society on several occasions, but remained editor of the "Kölner Domblatt", the Society's most important voice.

Born in Dülken on the lower Rhine, von Mevissen lived in Cologne continuously from 1841, and is buried at the Melaten Cemetery. The liberal politician was a member of parliament of the United Prussian Landtag (1847), the Frankfurt National Assembly (1848/49), the Erfurt Parliament (1850), and, as of 1865, was unpaid town councillor of the City of Cologne.

Moltke was born of a Mecklenburg family, and grew up in Holstein, Denmark. From 1811 to 1817, he attended the cadet academy in Copenhagen, became page at the royal court in 1818, was second lieutenant in the Danish forces from 1819 to 1822, and joined the Prussian army in 1823. In 1832, he was moved to General Staff. In 1835, he was granted leave to go on an educational journey to Southern Europe; at the request of the Sultan, he was detailed as instructor of the Turkish troops from 1836 to 1839. From 1858 to 1888, he was Chief of Staff.
His written works include, among others, the novellas "Two Friends"3 (1827), "Letters about Conditions and Incidents in Turkey" (1841), and "The Story of the Franco-German War" (1891).

Bismarck, founder and first Chancellor of the German Reich of 1871, is one of the most important figures of the 19th century. Born in Schönhausen near Stendal, he was able, as a young member of parliament in Prussia, to force through the authority of the monarchy against Parliament. Following the successful wars for Prussia against Denmark (1864) and Austria (1866), he founded the North German Union, and agreed defensive alliances with the Southern German states. In 1870, with the Ems telegram, Bismarck provoked France's declaration of war against Prussia, and thus the Franco-German War of 1870/71, which led to Wilhelm I being proclaimed German Kaiser on 18th January 1871 in Versailles, and to the foundation of the German Reich. Bismarck, who became Reichskanzler, had achieved his aim of uniting Germany under Prussian rule.

As the son of a farmer in Schoritz (near Garz on Rügen), Ernst Moritz Arndt studied theology from 1791-1796 in Greifswald and Jena. From 1812-1815, he worked helping the barons of Stein with passionate writings and songs for inspiring national feeling against Napoleon, who had taken control of the Rhineland and large parts of Northern Europe. In 1818, he became Professor of History in Bonn. In the Frankfurt National Assembly of 1848/1849, he spoke up for a Prussian empire, always for political freedom and the unity of all Germans.

The Lord-in-Waiting and owner of Stammheim Palace was appointed first ever honorary citizen of the City of Cologne on 18th December 1856 for his services towards the joint foundation of the "Dombau- und Kunstverein" (Cathedral Construction and Art Society).

Sister cities

The population of Cologne as well as their parliamentary representatives always keep in touch with people all over the world. This is visible in the large number of sister cities in Europe and beyond. The most famous ones are English harbour town Liverpool, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the capital of the People's Republic of China Beijing or Kyoto in Japan. The following table offers an overview of all sister cities: